CHAPTER 20: The king is just... well, wild!
1652 Words
Ysha was engulfed by a wave of confusion as she sensed the bed shifting beneath her.
But it was the heady scent of her twin's pheromones that truly captured her attention, enveloping the space around the king's body.
Turning to glance at him, she found the king lying beside her, seemingly unbothered by her presence.
"I'm giving you time to sleep now, Omega, so don’t look at me like that," he remarked, and didn't bother to look at her.
She longed to express her thoughts about her twin, but her thoughts were consumed by a more pressing concern: when had the king taken to sleeping so close to her?
She hadn’t noticed his presence next to her in his room; each morning, he seemed to vanish from the bed without a trace.
“If you’re bothered by your twin's pheromones, Omega, just release some of yours," Zarim suggested lightly. "Though I must say, your twin's scent is quite sweet, albeit a touch unruly," he added with a soft chuckle.
"D-damn you." Her voice was so weak that only she could barely hear it, but the king's soft laugh echoed in her ears, leaving him silent afterward.
She closed her eyes, uncertain and lost in thought.
Did the king really believe she wouldn’t pose a threat to him?
"I told you, Omega. Save your strength for something else and don't waste your energy trying to harm me. You can do nothing while attached to that chain." His words echoed as a reminder, dismissing her thoughts.
Gritting her teeth, she opted to lie back down, shifting away to the other side of the bed.
Her mind raced with things she wished she could do, but the uncertainty overwhelmed her, and she decided to set those troubling thoughts aside.
As always, Ysha woke the next morning to find the king absent, the spot he had occupied the night before untouched—almost as if he had never been there, or perhaps it was just her imagination.
"Good morning, Luna." Lota entered, carefully balancing a tray of food and medicines for the bruises she had sustained from the king the night before.
"Yeah. Thanks, Lota." It was all she could manage to respond.
Lota adjusted the chain at her leg as she moved toward the king's luxurious bathroom.
The bath was ready, waiting for her.If it weren't for the king's nightly brutality, she might have actually thought her mornings were wonderful, especially with everything she needed at hand and Lota's attentive care.
But despite those little comforts, each night felt like hell, a punishment from the demon king himself.
Adding to her worries was Shantal, who had obviously fallen for the king at first sight.
No matter how much Ysha tried to warn her that he was a demon, Shantal remained steadfast in her disbelief.
She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes, wishing for sleep as she soaked in the warm water Lota had prepared for her.
"Don't spend too much time in the water, Luna. It won't be good for you."
She’d already been resting in the tub for over half an hour.
Ysha hesitated to leave the tub, feeling an overwhelming reluctance.
However, she knew she had no choice but to rise.
As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom dressed in her usual clothes, Lota approached her.
“Thank you, Lota,” she said softly.
Lota remained silent as she busied herself treating Ysha's bruises.
After applying the ointment, Lota handed her the medicines she routinely took.
Without a word, Ysha accepted the medication and swallowed it down.
Once breakfast was served, the room felt quiet as she sat alone with her thoughts.
“Ysha,” she heard her twin call out.
She turned in response, noticing Shantal enter the king's room without even knocking.
“How are you?” Shantal inquired, though Ysha detected little concern in her voice.
“Same,” she replied, averting her gaze.
She couldn't bring herself to look at Shantal; beyond their matching abayas, niqabs, and jilbabs, nothing else remained to see.
Before Ysha could fully compose herself, she noticed the flush on Shantal's cheeks as she removed her niqab.
Concerned, Ysha immediately walked toward her.
However, Shantal took a step back, her eyes drawn to the chain around her feet.
"Did the king do this to you?" Ysha asked, worry creeping into her voice.
Despite the way Shantal seemed to handle her circumstances, Ysha still felt anxious about her sister's well-being, especially considering the terrible fate that could befall her, all for the sake of saving her from suffering under the king’s cruel hand.
"Y-yes. B-but it's not what you think. The king is just... well, wild. He came into my room last night and..."
"And he slapped and choked you while...?"
Ysha struggled to finish her thought, not wanting to insult her sister, but the nagging question lingered.
Why was she so concerned about Shantal, who seemed to accept the king's treatment?
"C'mon, Ysha. The king will be my husband someday, so we can do that even if we aren't married yet."
"Whatever you choose, Shantal. It's your body, and I won't interfere any longer."
Feeling disgusted, Ysha turned her back on Shantal, struggling with Shantal belief that the king wasn’t a monster.
"Why are you here so early in the morning? Is the king really that kind, allowing you to see me so often?"
"Yes, he gives me permission to visit you whenever I want."
"Good for you, Shantal, but I don’t need company right now. I just want some rest," Ysha said flatly, distancing herself from the discussion.
"Hmmm, you can rest later. Let’s chat first. You know I miss the good old times with you."
"But, Shantal, we're stuck inside this palace. We don’t have time for what you want. We’re both trapped in this hideous place." Ysha's voice suddenly rose, which was unusual for her.
"But you're the only one in prison, Ysha. You're the one being punished by the king. And you don’t want that. You’re not just locked up—you’re in his own room."
Ysha felt the annoyance in Shantal's tone.
"So, you expect me to be grateful that the king locked me in here instead of in a proper jail? Shantal, you have no idea what I’m going through in this room. I'd rather be in jail."
"Don’t worry, Ysha. Once the king and I are married, I’ll be the one living in this room instead of you. I’ll free you as soon as I’m his wife."
Ysha shook her head at Shantal's words. It seemed like Shantal was overly confident.
Just because the king treated her well now, did that mean he would always? Unless he fell in love with Shantal and gave her everything she dreamed of.
Ysha let out a sigh, feeling lost on how to bring Shantal back to reality.
"Please, Shantal. I just want to rest," she said, gently pushing her twin away.
"Hmph. I’ll tell the king you don’t want to face me, and he’ll make you talk to me. You just don’t see what I want for us here, Ysha. I'm back to fulfill my duty to our family. I’m doing this to free you from the king."
Ysha could sense Shantal's irritation with her.
"Or maybe you just enjoy how the king tortures you. Maybe you don’t want me to come back. Maybe you like how the king f**k you..."
Ysha slapped Shantal hard for her last word.
"Ysha." Shantal stared at her for a long time, unable to believe that she had slapped her.
"Who gave you the right to slap your twin inside my palace, Omega?" the king thundered, his voice echoing across the room as he witnessed the scene unfold.
"Your majesty."
Shantal quickly put on the Niqab before approaching the king. Holding onto his arm, she hid behind him, seeking protection.
"Leave, Ms. Safar. Now," the king ordered, shaking off the hand Shantal clutched.
Shantal wanted to speak but feared the king's gaze could harm her. She quickly stepped back, leaving them both in the room.
"Now, Omega."
Despite the king's slow approach, Ysha found herself retreating step by step.
When he drew near, he violently grabbed her by the jaw.
"You dare to hurt your sister? Why? Do you hate the fact that you like being f****d?"
His mocking words left her in shock.
Maybe if only the king had expressed that thoughts, she would have accepted them.
Instead, it fueled her anger and made it hard to comprehend that Shantal viewed her that way.
With her emotions boiling over, her hand rose and struck the king’s cheek with a heavy slap.
The king's eyes widened, surprised that an Omega dared to slap him.
In response, his grip on her jaw shifted to her neck, tightening as he began to strangle her.
"How brave you are now, Omega. Huh."
"G-go on. K-kill me now."
Ysha's teeth gritted as she fought to articulate her thoughts, her breath constricted by his unforgiving grip.
She made no attempt to escape; every effort seemed futile in this moment.
Nothing more to explain why she continued to endure his hold on her.
What was the purpose of prolonging her suffering when she could simply plead for death, ending her torment once and for all?
"Haha. In your dreams, Omega. If I wanted to kill you, it wouldn’t be like this. I’ll make you feel what it’s like to be dead, even while you’re still breathing."
With that, he violently shoved her down onto the bed.
Ysha closed her eyes, steeling herself for whatever torment the king would unleash next.
Powerless, she surrendered to his brutality once more.
Where else could she turn to fight back? What was the reason for her struggle?
For whom was she enduring this pain if her sacrifice no one appreciated.
- Writer
